User question
Hello.
Tell me what you can do with the following problem: I downloaded one movie in WMV format. I open it, try to play it, but the video starts to slow down terribly, shows, one might say, freeze frames, it is impossible to watch the film. Tried it with different players, but in vain, please advise something ...
Good day.
The problem is popular, however, I will immediately note that video brakes can be observed for quite a few reasons. By the way, in addition to the symptoms you listed, there is also often a delay in sound, its stuttering, the appearance of artifacts on the screen, etc.
In this article I will try to disassemble the main reasons for this behavior, and what can be done about all this.
So...
👉 Remark!
If your online video slows down (which is played in a browser, for example, in YouTube), then I recommend that you familiarize yourself with my other similar article
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How to remove (reduce) video slowdown
Codecs and video resolution: what to look for
Perhaps the first thing to start with with a similar problem is from codecs... Codecs are a kind of libraries that Windows needs to process and play video files.
If the codec in the system, which is required to play the file, is outdated, then the file either will not open, or it will be played with various flaws (for example, it will slow down).
Therefore, in case of a similar problem, pay attention to the codecs, try replacing them with newer ones (it is better to install some set). You can find a link to an article with the best codecs for modern versions of Windows below.
From myself I recommend choosing the K-Lite Codec Pack (extended version: it has everything you need to play most of the files).
👉 To help!
The best codecs for video and audio (Windows 7, 8, 10) - my set
I would also like to add a few words about resolution video and codecwith which it was compressed. The higher the video resolution, the more efficient your PC must be for high-quality playback of such a file (especially, it concerns the processor and video card).
For example, to play 4K video, the computer must be 2 times more powerful than what is required for 1080p (the comparison is exaggerated, but still ...).
👉 More in detail about codecs, formats, and some of those. you can learn the intricacies from this article - //ocomp.info/kodeki-dlya-video-i-audio.html
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Optimizing player settings
The second thing that can greatly affect the quality of the played file is video player... I think it's not a secret for anyone that different software products are developed by different programmers, different algorithms, solutions, etc. are used.
Thus, different players when playing the same file - can create a different load on your system!
In one of my articles, I have already reviewed some of the best video players for Windows, I give a link to it below.
👉 The best video players for Windows - //ocomp.info/free-videoproigryivateli.html
For old computers / laptops (which often slows down the video), I recommend opting for the following video players:
- Media Player Classic;
- VLC media player;
- BS.Player;
- Splash HD Player Lite (all of them can be found in the article at the link above).
As for Media Player Classic ...
Link to program description and download: //ocomp.info/free-videoproigryivateli.html#Media_Player_Classic
Because this player is one of the most popular, besides, it is quite flexible and versatile, and I will dwell on it. Due to fine tuning, it can be optimized somewhat and made to work faster. By the way, it is highly desirable to download and install it from the official website.
After launchMedia Player,open the "View" tab, then "Settings" (alternative: you can press the "O" key on your keyboard).
Media Player Classic video settings
Then open the tab Play / Output ... Here you need to change the line "DirectShow Video" ... I recommend setting "Sync Renderer" (as shown in my screenshot below).
Important! This tab DirectShow video has a very strong effect on the video being played. If "Sync Renderer" didn't help you to remove the brakes (or you don't have such an item at all), try alternately those that you have.
Conclusion - Sync Render // Media Player Classic
In my case, by the way, besides Sync Render, you can choose: Haali Video Render, old video render, Video Mixing Renderer 9, etc. options.
DirectShow video
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Are the drivers for the video card updated?
If all of the above did not help, I recommend looking at the state of the video driver, as well as its settings. So, say, if you reinstalled Windows and did not update the drivers, then most likely you just have a standard driver installed (and the brakes in this case are not surprising ...).
To see if you have a video driver on the system, open 👉 device Manager (either through the Windows control panel, or press the WIN + R key combination, and in the window that opens, enter the devmgmt.msc command).
In the device manager, you need to open the tab "Video adapters" : it should contain the name of your video card.
If this tab contains "Standard VGA graphics adapter" , and you also have one more tab "Other devices" (which has devices with yellow exclamation marks) - you need to update your drivers! See the example in the screenshot below.
Video driver: 1 - installed, 2 - not installed // Device Manager
By the way, if you have video drivers installed, then links to enter their settings can be found in the Windows Control Panel.
To do this, open the control panel and switch the display to "Small icons" (see number 1 in the screenshot below) - in the example below, I have two links to "IntelHD Graphics" and "NVIDIA Control Panel" .
Control Panel - Small Icons
👉 To help!
I talked about how to update the driver for a video card (and related questions) in this article.
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What is the load on the processor, hard drive?
Video, and the computer itself as a whole, can slow down due to the large number of running programs. Many run simultaneously with watching a video, for example, games, graphic editors, and other applications. Naturally, computer resources are no longer enough to complete the tasks - and the brakes begin ...
👉 By the way, with a high load on the hard disk (or with problems with it) - there may be not only brakes, but real freezes (when even the mouse does not move). I think many people came across this when they connected to a PC, for example, a faulty USB flash drive ...
To find out how loaded the processor and hard drive are, just open the task manager (to start it, click Ctrl + Shift + Esc or Ctrl + Alt + Del ).
Further in the tab "Processes" see what applications and how much load your processor, memory, disk, network. Particular attention to programs such as: torrents, games, editors, players ...
Processes // task manager // Windows 10
If some application loads your computer heavily, just close it (to do this, in the task manager, just right-click on it and select it in the menu that appears).
By the way, I also have a couple of articles on my blog about a relatively high load on the processor and disk. I recommend that you familiarize yourself with the links below.
👉 To help!
1) The processor is loaded at 100% for no apparent reason, slows down;
2) The hard disk slows down: 100% loaded, everything freezes and works slowly
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How long has the system been cleaned and optimized?
You can slightly increase the performance of your system by optimizing it, cleaning it from any garbage in a timely manner and fixing errors. In particular, such actions will have a positive effect on video playback.
Since this topic is quite extensive, I recommend that you read the articles, links to which are given below.
1) Optimize Windows 10 // to speed up your computer.
2) The best programs and utilities to speed up your computer
3) How to clean your computer from garbage - step by step instructions
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Check the temperature, clean the computer from dust
If you haven't cleaned your computer from dust for a long time (and you need to do this at least 1-2 times a year), your room is hot, the device works constantly under high load - there is a very high probability of brakes due to overheating.
This happens due to the fact that dust interferes with the normal air circulation in the device (clogging the ventilation holes). Consequence - hot air ceases to have time to leave, the temperature rises, and the brakes begin ...
Links to the necessary articles are given below.
👉 How to find out the temperature of the processor, video card and hard drive, what is considered normal? Ways to reduce the temperature of computer / laptop components.
👉 How to clean your computer from dust. Cleaning the monitor, system unit, keyboard.
👉 Cleaning the laptop from dust - step by step instructions
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A few words about viruses
Various freezes and brakes can also be associated with the presence of adware, viruses, Trojans and other good stuff on the PC. Therefore, it will not be superfluous to install a modern version of the antivirus, update its databases and check the system for such an infection ...
1) The best antiviruses of this year - see this collection ->
2) Additional system scan for viruses (when the antivirus does not "see" anything) - //ocomp.info/esli-antivirus-ne-vidit-virusov.html
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What else to pay attention to!
About flash drives
If your movie being played is on a flash drive, then it is quite possible that everything is in order with your PC and the movie itself, just playback is "slow" due to the insufficient speed of the flash drive.
Try copying a movie from a USB flash drive to a disc first, and then playing it back.
👉 If you want to find out the real volume and speed of your flash drive, I recommend that you familiarize yourself with this article: //ocomp.info/kak-uznat-realnyiy-obem-fleshki.html (now there are a lot of Chinese fakes walking around).
Video formats
It is no secret that many videos in different formats can be found on the Internet now. If one format slows down, try searching for and downloading a video in a different format. For example, WMV requires a lot of system costs compared to playing MPEG files ...
This also includes high resolution: if 4K video slows down, you should try HD format ...
Broken file (not fully downloaded)
Also, a similar picture with brakes can be observed when playing broken files. For example, you can try to play an un-loaded movie from uTorrent (picture jitter, sound stuttering, etc. are guaranteed!).
Therefore, if one specific file slows down you, it is possible that not everything is in order with it. Try playing it on another PC / player.
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PS: additions are welcome as always ...
On this note, I say goodbye.
Good luck!
👣
First publication: 10/14/2017
Correction: 01/30/2020
